Singur row Opp's ploy to benefit others: CITU

Durgapur, Sep 12 (UNI) CITU state president Shyamal Chakraborty today alleged that the Singur row was only a ploy by the Opposition to stall the production of Tata Nano, billed as the world's cheapest car, in a bid to make way for other firms in the market.

Attending the three-day 36th Council Meeting of CITU commencing today, Mr Chakraborty said several states had been vying to shift the Tata's small-car project in wake of the Singur row.

Altogether 80 per cent of the landowners willingly gave land to the government and the rest did not accept the price, he said.

''Does the constitutional head of the state, the Governor, know that the 300 acre of land, as demanded by the Opposition, cannot be returned ?'' he added.

''The people of the state will not elect those who engage themselves in destructive politics,'' he stated.

The CITU leader said the roadblock on Durgapur Expressway could have been cleared in just two hours with the aid of the police. But the government had acted in a ''restrained'' manner, he added.

Meanwhile, All India General Secretary of CITU Mohammed Amin said before the new parliamentery session commenced on September 17, the Centre would try to finalise the nuke-deal, adding the Congress would suffer in the Lok Sabha elections if polls were held in February next year.

State General Secretary of CITU Kali Ghosh said the Union government was wooing foreign investment by towing the deals of WTO, adding it was aimed at supplying benefits to the foreign investors.

UNI XC SB KK SP RAI2116